Method of making pile fabrics with loops of different height and apparatus for practicing the method



Sept. 23, 1958 A. H. CRAWFORD METHOD OF MAKING PILE FABRICS WITH LOOPSOF DIFFERENT HEIGHT AND APPARATUS FOR PRACTICING THE METHOD Filed Nov.v10, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 MM 1 fiw awizmima ATTORNEYf Filed Nov. 10,19254 Sept. 23, 1958 A. H. CRAWFORD 2,853,034

METHOD OF MAKING FILE FABRICS WITH LOOPS OF DIFFERENT HEIGHT ANDAPPARATUS FOR PRACTICING THE METHOD 4 Sheets-Sheet 2- nn H H H n I IIII! llllllllllllllllllll INVENTOR ATTORNEY sept- 1958 A. H. CRAWFORD2,853,034

METHOD OF MAKING PILE FABRICS WITH LOOPS OF DIFFERENT HEIGHT ANDAPPARATUS FOR PRACTICING THE METHOD 7 Filed Nov. 10, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet3 )2 Q l; I 1 29 a F se I i xx 7 5 i k I 20 g i 45 \\\\\\\R\\\\\ 2E2 IKY 5 5 2s l0/ 2 p24 E (5 a b la J (I E /k /4' I I3 /6 Figs INVEN OR ,6M. dad 5,!

W g me 24 4 ATTORNEY- P 1958 A. H. CRAWFORD 2,853,034

METHOD OF MAKING FILE FABRICS WITH LOOPS OF DIFFERENT HEIGHT ANDAPPARATUS FOR PRACTICING THE METHOD Filed Nov. 10, 1954 y 4 Sheets-Sheet4 INVENTOR ATTO R N EY5 United States Patent Allan H. Crawford,Amsterdam, N. Y., assignor, by niesne assignments, to MohascoIndustries, Ina, Amsterdam, N. Y., a corporation of New York ApplicationNovember 10, 1954, SerialNo. 463,930

Claims. (Cl. 112-79) This invention relates to the production of pilefabrics of the type made by passing loops of pile, yarn through abacking sheet by means of needles and is concerned more pa ticularlywith a novel method of making such fabrics, in which the pile loops ofthe individual yarns vary in height in accordance with a pattern. Inaddition to the method, the invention includes an apparatus, by whichpileyarns can be fed to the pile-forming devices of fabricproducingmachines at rates varying in accordance with a pattern, the apparatusbeing advantageously used in the practice of the method.

Tufted pile fabrics can be produced rapidly and at low cost onscwingmachines of the multiple needle type used for tufting operations andsome of the machines heretofore available have been equipped with means,by which the height of the loops can be varied. Such means have takenthe form of devices for feeding the pile yarns to the needles andfunction to feed more or less yarn to the needles in accordance with therequirements of the pattern. The needles of the machine penetrate tlzefubric to a constant depth in the insertion of pile loops and, it a loopof less than maximum height is to be formed, the amount of yarn fed forthe formation of the following loop of that yarn is insullicient for aloop of maximum height. The insertion of the second loop to the standarddepth by its needles then results in yarn being withdrawn from thepreceding loop, so that the loop that formedis reduced in height by anamount equal to the amount of yarn taken therefrom. The height of eachloop in the fabric produced in the prior machines is thus determined bythe amount of yarn fed for the formation of the succeeding loop of thatyarn and the formation of a loop of less than maximum height is alwaysaccomplished by taking yarn from a loop previously inserted in thefabric.

The withdrawal of yarn from the loop of that yarn previously insertedthrough a backing sheet. as described, may cause a pucker in the backingsheet, especially if there is a lgnotin the yarn being withdrawn. Also,the withdrawal from an inserted loop of yarn containing a knot mayresult in the yarn being broken, after which no loops of the yarn willbe formed until the break isiepaired, since the loose end will be merelycarried by its needle through the backing sheet and then withdrawnwithout being caught by the looper of the machine.

The method of the present invention when used in connection with atufting machine makes possible the production of tufted loop pilefabrics, in which the height of each loop is under the control of apattern and the loop assumes its final height upon complete retractionof the needle in the formation of the loop. The height of each loopdepends upon the amount of yarn fed to the needle for the formation ofthe loop and the pattern controls the loop height directly instead ofthrough the feeding of yarn for the succeeding loop of that yarn. Sinceno yarn is withdrawn from a previously inserted loop, the machine tonsmore smoothly than the prior masts and i cs sss isiss mm his in the Piyarn a avo ded.

2,853,034 Patented Sept. 23, 1958 In the practice of the new method inconjunction with a tufting machine, the pile yarns. are fed at ratesvarying in accordance with the requirements of a pattern and a supply ofeach yarn, which has been fed and lies between its needle and thefeeding means, is stored during each upstroke of the needle. All thestored supplies contain the same length of yarn and they are allreleased when the needles move downward topenetrate the backing sheetand insert loops of the yarns through the. sheet. During each cycle ofoperation of. a needle, its yarn is being fed and the total amount of ayarn thus available to a needle for insertion of a loop is the length ofa stored supply plus the length of the yarn so fed. During the upstroke,of the needle after insertion of a loop, a second supply of the yarn isstored and, since the same length of yarn is always present in all thestored supplies, the length of a yarn, which is left as a loop in, the.backing sheet, is the length of the yarn fed during the needle cycle, inwhich the loop was inserted.

The apparatus forming a part of the invention may be employed in thefeeding of yarns to the pile-forming devices of fabric-producingapparatus of various sorts and the apparatus affords close control ofthe amount of yarn fed for each pile-forming operation of the apparatus.Accordingly, by the use of the apparatus, the height of each loopthroughout the fabric being produced is under control andina'y be variedas required by the pattern. i i

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be made tothe accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a view in side eleya'tion, with parts omitted, of 'a sewingmachine for ftu fting purposes, which is equipped with the yarnfeedingmechanism. of the invention; i

Figure 2 is an elevational view on the lines 2--2 of Fig. 1 with partsomitted; i

Figure 3, is asectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; i i7 Figures 5 and 6 are diagrammatic views illustrating the operation ofthe. yarn feeding and yarn storing means em: ployed in the machine ofthe invention; i

Figure 7 is a series of diagrams illustrating the insertion of loopsthrough a backing sheet in the operation of a tufting machine, equippedwith the yarn feeding means ofthe inventionyand ii i V Figure 8 is apartial side .elevational view of one of the pattern elements. 4 i i i 1The tuftirig machine shown somewhat diagrammatically in the drawingscomprises a frame structure 10 provided with atable 11, overiwhich thebacl zingjsheet 12 is advancedfrom ashpplyf by means of rolls 13, 14,15, and 16,.some or all of whicha re driven. A shaft mounted above thetable and driyenby suitable means reciprocate's a needle bar 18 throughsuitable connections including a plurality of eccentriodiscs 19, straps20 e11 circling the discsand pushrods 21 connected to the straps anda ttac h ed to the needle bar, the pushrods being mov able regents 22. Theneedle bar carries a plurality of needles 23, and a pair of spacedguides 24, 25 having eyes for each yarn Y t 'avellingttowaird its needleare mounted on the push rod guid opposite the needle.

Beneaththe table, a plurality of loopers Z6, onefor each" needle, [areliiounted on; a bar 27 carried by on e w f h 231 AT t as i sr slssrs athe "ls Yam hrs s the ol ne s??? ist su a the .9 2: ers are swung tocause .theii-hooltsto enter the loopsatid hold them, when the needlesare retracted andrise out Oi h bt s- The Yarn Y t be its s the t p stine dl are have r Pa .t .1 ns Pastimes. than? s id 29 anes of as its eacy man w-i stationary guide with an eye for each yarn is mounted inalignment with guide 29 at a distance therefrom, and the yarns issuingfrom the eyes in guide 30 travel to respective guides 24.

The yarns are drawn from the supplies by the new feeding apparatus,which includes an upper endless series of pattern elements 31 extendingthe full width of the sheet of yarns travelling from guide 29 to guide30. The pattern elements are mounted on two or more chains 32, which aretrained about sprocket wheels 33 on shaft 34 journalled in brackets 35attached to the housing 36 for the main drive shaft 17 of the machine.The chains also pass about sprocket wheels 37 on a shaft 38 journalledin bearings in extensions 39 from the brackets 35 and about idlerpulleys on shafts 40 journalled in hearings on plates 41 (Fig. I)mounted on brackets 35. Plates 41 can be adjusted relative to brackets35 by screws 41a to keep chains 32 taut, and the plates carry rails 42,which back up the stretches of the chains between shafts 4t) and extendsubstantially parallel to a line between the eyes of guides 29, 30.

A second set of pattern elements 43 extending the full width of thesheet of yarns are mounted on chains 44 passing about sprocket wheels 45on a shaft 46 journalled in extensions 47 from brackets 35. The chains44 are also trained about idler pulleys on shafts 48, 49 journalled inbearings on brackets 35. The stretches of chains 44 between the idlerson shafts d8, 49 are backed up by rails 50, which extend parallel to aline connecting the eyes in guides 29, 30.

The main drive shaft 17 carries a sprocket wheel 51 connected by a chain52 to a sprocket wheel 53 on a stud 54 mounted on a bracket 55 attachedto the frame 10 of the sewing machine. The stud carries a pinion 56 fastto sprocket wheel 53 and meshing with a gear 57 on a shaft 58 journalledin bearings in brackets 55 and 35. Shaft 58 carries a sprocket wheel 59connected by a chain 60 to a sprocket wheel 61 on shaft 38 and shaft 58also carries a gear 62 meshing with a gear 63 on a stud 64 attached toone of the brackets 35. A sprocket wheel 65 fast to gear 63 on stud 64is connected by a chain 66 to a sprocket wheel 67 on shaft 46.

The pattern elements 31 and 43 are wires of L-section, of which thebases are connected to the outer faces of links of chains 32 and 44,respectively. The wires on the stretches of the chains backed up byrails 42 and 50 are staggered and their free edges are partiallyintermeshed, so that they subject the yarns in the sheet between guides29 and 30 to lateral deviation and cause theyarn to assume'the form ofwaves. from a wire of the 43 series past a wire of the 31 series to thenext wire of the 43 series constitutes one feed increment or wave of theyarn and the yarns in the sheet between guides 29 and 30 are formed intosuch a number of waves that the wires of the two series grip the yarnssufliciently to draw them from their packages and feed them to theneedles as the chains 32 and 44 are driven. For each reciprocation ofthe needles, the chains advance by the distance between adjacent wiresthereon, so that a feed increment of each yarn equal to the length of awave of the yarn is fed to the needles for each reciprocation thereof. Afeed increment of each yarn is thus fed to its needle for the formationof a single pile loop.

The yarns forming successive feed increments are laterally deviated byamounts corresponding to the heights of successive pile elements in alongitudinal row in the fabric to be produced and the yarns formingtransversely aligned increments across the pattern sheet are deviated bydifferent amounts determined by the pattern. The varying lateraldeviation of the yarns as described with resultant variation in theindividual feed increments or waves is produced by forming the wires ofthe 31 or 43 series or both of varying height throughout their length,although ordinarily the wires of the longer series 31 only are soformed. A typical pattern wire 31 is shown in Fig.

The length of a yarn extending r 8 of the drawing as having sectionsmarked a, b, c, d, e, etc., which are of uniform width and areengageable with individual pile yarns. Each section of a wire may beconsidered to be a pattern element and each wire is thus an assembly ofindividual pattern elements lying in a row transverse to the directionof feeding movement of the yarns. The sections differ in height inaccordance with the pattern to be produced in the fabric and the lengthof yarn in each wave extending between a pair of wires of the 43% seriesdepends on the height of the section of wire 31, which engages the yarnbetween the wires 43. Accordingly, when the section of the wire 31 incontact with the yarn is relatively high like the area a, Fig. 8, thelength of the yarn in the wave will be long, whereas, if the eifectivesection is low like area e, the length of the wave will be short. Thelength of yarn required for formation of a normal loop by a needle isthat in a wave of maximum size.

Lengths of the yarns leaving the guide 30 and passing through guides 24and 25 on their way to the needles are periodically stored and, for thispurpose, the needle bar is provided with brackets 68 carrying adeflecting element in the form of a bar 69 engageable with the yarnsbetween the guides 24 and 25. The deflecting bar 69 is so positionedrelative to the needle bar that, when the needles are in their lowermostpositions, the bar 69 lies slightly spaced from the portions of theyarns lying in a straight line between the eyes of guides 24 and 25, orbarely makes contact with those portions of the yarns. When the needlebar rises to retract the needles from the backing sheet, the deflectingbar engages the yarns between guides 24 and 25 and deflects them from astraight line between the eyes of guides 24, 25. The difference inlength between a yarn so deflected and a yarn travelling in a straightline between guides 24, 25 is a stored supply of the yarn. When theneedle bar descends to cause the needles to penetrate the backing sheet,the deflecting bar moves downward with the needle bar to release thestored supplies of the yarns.

In the operation of the machine, the yarns drawn from the supplies arethreaded through the eyes in guide 29 and between those pattern wires ofthe two series 31 and 43, which are in effective position between'therails 42 and 50. The yarns are then passed through the eyes of guides 30and 24, over the top of the deflecting bar 69, and then through the eyesof guide 25, after which the yarns are threaded through their respectiveneedles 23 The action of the needles and the deflecting bar isillustrated in the diagrams of Fig. 7, of which diagram I shows a needle23, which has penetrated the backing sheet 12 and is at the bottom ofits downstroke. As the needle moves down, the deflecting bar 69 movesdown with it to release the stored supply of yarn previously raised overthe bar between guides 24 and 25. Also, during each needle cycle, thefeeding means are operating to feed yarn, so that yarn so fed isavailable to the needle as it penetrates the fabric. When the needlecompletes its downstroke, the looper enters the loop of yarn inserted bythe needle and holds the inserted loop L momentarily as the needlerises. Simultaneously with the retraction of the needle, the bar 69rises to store a second supply of the yarn by deflecting it from itsstraight path between guides 24, 25 and, since the bar 69 always risesto the same height, the length of yarn in the stored supplies is alwaysthe same. Accordingly, the net length of yarn available for each loop isthe length of yarn fed during the needle cycle, in which the loop wasformed.

As shown in diagram II, Fig. 7, the length of yarn fed during the needlecycle, in which L was formed, was sufiicient to produce a loop ofmaximum length as determined wholly by the depth of penetration of theneedle through the fabric. Accordingly, when the needlewas retractedafter formation of loop L yarn was available between the needle and thefeeding means for storage o a supply without affecting the loop LDiagrams III and IV, Fig. 7, show the needle rising and yarn beingstored by the action of bar 69, after insertion of a loop L The lengthof yarn fed during the needle cycle for this loop was not sufficient fora loop of maximum length and, as a consequence, in the downstroke of theneedle, part of the yarn required for the loop was borrowed from thestored supply released as the needle moved down.

was shortened by the difference between the length of the yarn fed andthat required for a loop of maximum length. Loop L was, accordingly,converted to loop L It will be seen from the foregoing that, in theoperation of the feeding apparatus of the invention when utilized inconnection with a tufting machine, the length of yarn available to eachneedle on each downstroke thereof is the length of yarn fed during thecycle of needle opera tion, in which the downstroke occurs, plus thelength of yarn, which was taken up to form the stored supply during thepreceding cycle and is let out during the down stroke. After insertionof a loop by the needle, another length of the yarn is taken up andstored during the upstroke of the needle. As the length of yarn taken upto form a stored supply and then let out is always the same, it will beapparent that the length of yarn in each completed loop is the lengthfed during the cycle of needle operation, in which the loop wasinserted. When a loop of less than maximum height is to be inserted andthe amount of yarn fed during the cycle of needle operation isinsuflicient to produce a loop of maximum height, the needle initiallyproduces a loop of maximum height, but, when the yarn is taken up on theupstroke of the needle to form the stored supply, yarn is withdrawn fromthe loop and it becomes one of a height corresponding to the amount ofyarn fed. The formation of a loop of less than maximum height thusinvolves the steps of inserting a loop of maximum height and thenwithdrawing yarn from it as a continuous operation. As the yarn ispulled from the loop while the needle hole in the fabric is of full sizeand before it has been closed by the next penetration of the fabric bythe needle, the withdrawal of the yarn from the loop does not causepuckering of the fabric and there is little likelihood that the yarnwill be broken, even if the length withdrawn contains a knot. The methodand apparatus of the invention thus provide control of the height ofevery loop in the fabric while avoiding the possibility of breakage ofthe yarn withdrawn.

This application is related to my co-pending application Serial No.445,007, filed July 22, 1954.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for feeding a plurality of yarns at rates varying inaccordance with a varying pattern, which comprises flexible endlesscarriers, means for supporting the endless carriers with longitudinalstretches thereof lying opposed, a set of pattern members secured toeach endless carrier and extending therefrom in spaced relation, themembers of at least one set of pattern members differing from oneanother in accordance with the pattern, the pattern members of therespective endless carriers on said stretches intermeshing, means forguiding the yarns in side-by-side relation to pass between the opposedretches of the carriers to be bent to wave form by the intermeshingpattern members on the stretches, means for advancing the carriers sothat waves in the yarns successively are released at one end of saidstretches and new increments of yarn simultaneously are pulled betweenthe pattern members carried by the flexible carriers at the other end ofsaid stretches to be bent to wave form, and means for alternately takingup and letting out constant lengths of the yarns including the lengthsof the yarns in the waves released from between the pattern members onsaid stretches.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the means for alternately takingup and letting out lengths of the yarn Then, as the needle started upand the storage of the next supply began, the uncompleted loop perform acycle of operations while the carriers advance by the distance between apair of adjacent pattern menibers on one carrier.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, in which each pattern member is continuousand extends entirely across the group of yarns.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the pattern members of at leastone set differ from one another in height along their lengths.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the pattern members are flat wiressecured to the carriers to project outwardly therefrom.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the means for taking up andletting out lengths of the yarns include spaced guides for the yarns anda reciprocating member extending transverse to the yarns-between theguides and operating alternately to engage and deflect the yarns fromtheir direct path from One guide to the other and to release the yarns.p

7. A method of making a pile fabric which comprises advancing a backingsheet, feeding varying lengths of yarn toward a storage zone defined byspaced guides through which the yarn passes, withdrawing the yarn fromthe storage zone and inserting it through the backing sheet to form aloop of predetermined length, laterally deviating the yarn between saidguides by a. fixed amount, the yarn required by the deviation being, insome instances, greater than the length of yarn fed toward the zone,and, in such instances, drawing, during the deviation, the deficiencyfrom the loop just formed.

8. A method of making a pile fabric which comprises advancing a backingsheet, withdrawing yarn from a storage zone and inserting it through thebacking sheet to form a loop, repeating said steps to form the pilefabric, feeding increments of yarn of varying lengths from a source ofsupply towards the storage zone, laterally deviating the yarn from adirect path between its point of entry into and point of withdrawal fromthe storage zone by a fixed amount during each loop forming operation,such deviation being into the storage zone and providing a supply ofyarn therein, utilizing successive increments of yarn fed toward thestorage zone for successive deviations into the storage zone, anddrawing such additional yarn as is required for a deviation from theloop inserted through the backing sheet immediately prior to suchdeviation.

9. A method of making a pile fabric, which comprises carrying out acycle made up of the steps of advancing a backing sheet, feeding from asource of supply a length of yarn controlled in accordance with apattern, taking up in a storage zone a fixed length of yarn so fed, andwithdrawing a fixed length of yarn from the storage zone and insertingit through the backing sheet to form a loop, and repeating the cycleindefinitely to form a fabric, the fixed lengths of yarn taken up in thestorage zone being uniform in'successive cycles and the controlledlengths of yarn fed in successive cycles varying in length with certaincontrolled lengths of yarn being shorter than the fixed lengths takenup, the taking up in storage of a fixed length of yarn in a cycle, inwhich the controlled length of yarn fed is shorter than said fixedlength, causing yarn to be drawn from the loop inserted through thebacking sheet in that cycle.

107 The method of claim 9, in which the uniform fixed lengths of yarntaken up in the storage zone in successive cycles are at least as longas the longest controlled lengths of yarn fed.

11. The method of claim 9, in which the fixed lengths of yarn withdrawnfrom the storage zone and inserted through the backing sheet to formloops are of uniform length throughout the cycles.

12. The method of claim 9, in which the fixed length of yarn is taken upin the storage zone by being laterally deviated from a direct pathbetween its point of entry into and its point of withdrawal from thestorage zone, the lateral deviation of the yarn being the same and thew; 5 fixed lengths of yarn taken up in the storage zone being uniform insuccessive cycles.

13. A method of making a pile fabric, which comprises carrying out acycle made up of the steps of advancing a backing sheet, taking up in astorage zone a fixed length of yarn, supplying the yarn to be taken upin the storage zone by holding and advancing toward said zone a lengthof yarn drawn from a source of supply with a plurality of successivefeed increments thereof laterally deviated by varying amountscorresponding to the heights of successive pile elements in alongitudinal row in the fabric to be produced, successively releasingthe leading feed increment of said held length of yarn for introductioninto the storage zone and imultaneously with said release adding anotherfeed increment drawn from the source of supply to said held length ofyarn at the trailing end thereof, withdrawing a fixed length of yarnfrom the storage zone and inserting it through the backing sheet to forma loop, and repeating the cycle indefinitely to form a fabric, the fixedlengths of yarn taken up in the storage zone being uniform in successivecycles, and certain feed increments of the laterally deviated length ofyarn being shorter than the fixed lengths taken up, the taking up in thestorage zone of a fixed length of yarn in a cycle, in which the releasedfeed increment is shorter than said fixed length, causing yarn to bedrawn from the loop inserted through the backing sheet in that cycle.

14-. A method of making a pile fabric, which comprises carrying out acycle made up of the steps of advancing a backing sheet, taking up in astorage zone fixed lengths of a plurality of yarns, supplying the yarnsto be taken up in the storage zone by simultaneously holding andadvancing toward said zone lengths of the yarns drawn from a source ofsupply with a plurality of successive feed increments thereof laterallydeviated by varying amounts corresponding to the heights of successivepile elements in a longitudinal row in the fabric to be produced andwith transversely-aligned feed increments of the yarns deviated byvarying amounts determined by a pattern, the yarns lying side-by-sidewhile held and being advanced toward the storage zone, successivelyreleasing the leading feed increments of said held lengths of yarns forintroduction into the storage zone, and simultaneously with said releaseof the leading feed increments of the yarns adding another feedincrement of each yarn drawn from the source of supply to said heldlengths of yarns at the trailing end thereof, and withdrawing fixedlengths of the yarns from the of yarn being shorter than the fixedlengths taken up;

the taking up in the storage zone of fixed lengths of yarns in a cycle,in which the released feed increment is shorter than said fixed lengths,causing yarns to be drawn from the loops inserted through the backingsheet in that cycle.

15. A method of making a pile fabric, which comprises carrying out acycle made up of the steps of advancing a backing sheet, taking up in astorage zone fixed lengths of a plurality of yarns, supplying the yarnsto be taken up in the storage zone by forming a plurality of yarns intoa sheet with the yarns lying side-by-side, engaging lengths of the yarnsin said sheet from opposite sides along spaced lines extendingtransversely of the yarns, and bending the engaged lengths of yarns tothe form of a plurality of waves varying in amplitude both with andalong the respective yarns, moving the bent yarns simultaneously towardthe storage zone, successively releasing the leading waves of all of theyarns simultaneously, and simultaneously with the releasing of theleading waves of each yarn, engaging a new section of each yam andbending it to wave form, withdrawing fixed lengths of the yarns from thestorage zone and inserting them through the backing sheet to form loops,and repeating the cycle indefinitely to form a fabric, the fixed lengthsof yarns taken up in the storage zone being uniform in successivecycles, and the length of certain of the yarns in at least some of thereleased waves being shorter than the fixed lengths taken up in thestorage zone, the taking up in the storage zone of a fixed length of anyyarn in a cycle, in which the length of the released section of suchyarn is shorter than said fixed length, causing yarn to be drawn fromthe loop of that yarn inserted through the backing sheet in that cycle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,389,115 Bassisty Aug. 30, 1921 1,581,093 Howie Apr. '13, 19261,831,485 Dykeman Nov. 10, 1931 1,863,049 Hermann June 14, 19321,877,824 Delplanque Sept. 20, 1932 2,112,512 Windham et al. Mar. 29,1938

